Lamar takes full advantage of Prairie Grove’s mistakes

PRAIRIE GROVE — Lamar keeps finding ways to win close playoff games.

One week after nipping Gentry 21-20 in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs, the Warriors recovered two fourth-quarter fumbles and rallied for a 24-23 win at Prairie Grove in the second round at Tiger Stadium.

Lamar fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, but the Warriors used their ball control offense to keep the ball away from Prairie Grove for most of the final three quarters.

Over the final three quarters, the Warriors dominated possession with 56 plays to the Tigers’ 18.

“If you want to beat a good football team, when you’re the big-time underdog, you just can’t let them run offense,” said Lamar Coach Josh Jones. “Don’t let them have the ball, and that’s what we did.”

Lamar ran a total of 72 offensive plays on the night, while Prairie Grove only had the ball for 29 plays.

“Lamar did [its] thing,” said Prairie Grove Coach Danny Abshier. “That’s what they do. That’s how they win games. It worked on us. I’d have to say Merry Christmas for a couple of fumbles right there. Their head coach said it was only one gift because they gave us one in the first half. They played us a good game.”

Lamar advances to the 4A semifinals, where it will play at Robinson, a 49-7 winner over Pocahontas on Friday.

Down 23-16 after Jimmy Balmer booted a 22-yard field goal with 7:16 left in the fourth, Lamar recovered a Prairie Grove fumble near midfield. The Warriors (10-2) moved 58 yards on 10 rushes and scored on a three-yard run by Damien Hendrix to pull within 23-22. The Warriors lined up for the twopoint conversion and drew Prairie Grove offsides to move the ball half the distance to the goal. Hendrix then ran in the two-point conversion to give the Warriors a 24-23 lead with 2:36 left.

Prairie Grove got the ball back and picked up a first down near midfield on a pass from Paytin Higgins to Landon Semrad. But the Tigers fumbled again on the next play and Lamar recovered at its own 39.

Prairie Grove (9-3) spent all three of its timeouts to try and stop the Warriors on defense, but Lamar converted on fourth-and-two and was able to run out the clock.

Prairie Grove scored two quick touchdowns in the first quarter to go up 14-0.

Higgins hit Ethan Miller for a 36-yard touchdown on Prairie Grove’s opening drive. Miller also ran for a 15-yard score near the end of the first quarter.

Lamar got back in it with an 18-play, 80-yard drive and Landon Harrison scoring from one-yard out to get within 14-7.

Prairie Grove went ahead 17-7 at halftime after Higgins booted a school-record 44yard field goal on the heels of a Lamar turnover.

Lamar opened the second half with a scoring drive to get within 17-13, with Harrison scoring on another 1-yard run.

Prairie Grove responded with an eight-play scoring drive where Coner Whetsell scored on a 15-yard run, set up by Higgins’ 29-yard pass to Matthew Velasco and Colin Faulk’s 20-yard run.

Lamar finished with 71 carries for 349 yards, led by 119 yards on 26 carries from Tony Balmer. Hendrix had 14 carries for 65 yards, while Harrison had 53 yards on 15 carries. Jarrett Dalton rushed 14 times for 57 yards, while Joseph Dalton had 10 carries for 46 yards.

Prairie Grove finished with 21 carries for 154 yards. Faulk had seven carries for 80 yards, while Higgins completed 4 of 6 passes for 89 yards.